Google Maps is receiving a major upgrade as Google expands artificial intelligence capabilities within the app. The company has introduced Ask Maps, a new AI-powered feature driven by Gemini, designed to help users ask detailed questions about locations directly inside the navigation platform.
Ask Maps builds on Google’s earlier move to integrate Gemini into Google Maps in November. The feature creates a conversational experience, allowing users to ask complex real-world questions that traditional maps typically cannot answer.
Instead of manually searching for places, users can simply tap the Ask Maps button and type or speak their query. For example, someone could ask for a nearby spot to charge a phone or locate a public tennis court with lighting. Gemini analyzes the request and delivers recommendations instantly.
According to Google, the AI assistant processes information from more than 300 million places listed in Maps, including insights gathered from the platform’s 500-million-member community of reviewers and contributors. The results are personalized based on a user’s search history and saved locations, helping generate more relevant suggestions.
Ask Maps also allows users to take action directly from the results. They can reserve restaurant tables, save locations to lists, or share recommendations with friends. Navigation features such as directions and route guidance remain integrated into the same experience.
Alongside Ask Maps, Google is rolling out Immersive Navigation, which it describes as the biggest update to Google Maps in more than a decade. The feature introduces redesigned visuals and more intuitive route guidance to help users stay focused while driving.
The upgraded navigation interface provides a detailed 3D map view showing buildings, terrain, and overpasses. Important road elements such as lanes, crosswalks, traffic lights, and stop signs are highlighted when relevant.
Google says this spatial understanding is powered by Gemini models that analyze fresh imagery from Street View and aerial photography. The result is a more accurate representation of real-world surroundings along a route.
Immersive Navigation also includes smart zooming, transparent buildings for improved visibility, and more natural voice guidance. Users will receive alerts about traffic disruptions and may see route alternatives, such as a slightly longer trip with less traffic or a faster route with tolls.
The new Ask Maps feature is currently rolling out in the United States and India on Android and iOS devices, while Immersive Navigation is launching across the US first, with wider availability expected in the coming months.